Customer Reviews

Flower Drum Song (2002 Broadway Revival Cast)

5 star:		(81)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Revamp that's effective, performed to audiences by a superb cast. This musical deserves the Tonys this year.

To Lea Salonga fans, her "Broadway Concert" album contains Ms. Salonga's wonderful renditions of some of the best songs ever sung on Broadway. Get this one along with the Flower Drum soundtrack and you'll hear her delightful version of "I Enjoy Being A Girl." Her self-titled album, "Lea Salonga," released some years ago, is also still available (on-line) and it features songs that are not typical of the ones she usually sings, but which have a lot of charm.

Watching those incredibly talented asian faces made me so proud. That this show starred my favorite Lea Salonga should have been enough but I thoroughly enjoyed the FDS show last week and I can't wait to see it again. It was funny and hilarious. As usual, Lea was mesmerizing with her glorious , soaring voice. Jose Llana was macho and blessed with a rich voice in "You are beautiful". Sandra Allen was awesome as well as the other characters. But clearly, it was Lea that people came to see.

Mabuhay Lea at maraming salamat sa iyo.

The New Flower Drum Song 2002 Broadway Revival Cast recording is a must-have for all Rodgers and Hammerstein fans. The cast, headed by Lea Salonga, is first-rate with powerful vocal renditions. And what is also noteworthy is David Chase's new musical adaptation of this classic, ingeniously weaving authentic Chinese instruments with circa 1960's musical forms to create one of the most stunning musical theater productions to come in a long time. Indeed, this recording breathes new life to an old classic -- a fitting reaffirmation that this is one of a hundred million miracles that happens every day!

Inspite of luke-warm reviews from NY theatre critics, Flower Drum Song's 2002 Broadway Revival is a smash hit! "In this version of the musical, the whole plot has changed, but the beauty of Roger and Hammerstein's songs have remained." You may have a copy of the original production, but having the star presence of Tony Award Winner Lea Salonga in this recording can't be missed. Her signature "crystal clear" voice can be heard in the classics "You Are Beautiful", "Love Look Away" and "I'm Gonna Like It Here". If you've always liked broadway musicals or better yet "great" broadway performers on CD, this is for you!!!

I just got my copy of the CD and I'm now totally lost in it! The music could never be more beautiful. Lea Salonga has the best emotion-packed crystalline dulcet voice the world has ever recorded and she's the most interesting thing that I've ever seen on stage. Two things about this recording come into my attention, though. Lea's version of "I enjoy being a girl" in her The Broadway Concert CD is far spunkier, more flirtatious and more enjoyable to listen to than Sandra's version but this isn't to say that the latter's version is that bad, no. Also, I like Lea's "Love, look away" in her The Broadway Concert CD so much better than her version in this recording, but again, this isn't to say that it aint good. Generally, this is one of the best cast recordings the musical theatre has ever produced. Kudos to the cast and the creative team for their individual and collaborative efforts!

So it bears no resemblance to the "Flower Drum Song" of Rodgers, Hammerstein, and Fields. And sure, in an effort to cleanse the original 1959 show of stereotypes and caricatures, David Henry Hwang has most likely created new ones. And yes, one of the songs has been dispensed with and another reduced to a mere one verse. All criticisms aside, this revival is still a great show with a great cast recording.

The new orchestrations are fantastic. Somehow, Don Sebesky has turned an aging, typical Richard Rodgers score and made it new, refreshing; it may be the same songs, but it's definitely Broadway of the new millenium. The best part is that Sebesky is unafraid of taking risks, meshing the original orchestrations with newer, more unusual sounds: one actually hears motifs and instruments that sound Chinese, "Fan Tan Fannie" has been turned from a minute-long throwaway tune to a splashy, showstopping surf rock-inspired number, "Chop Suey," long considered one of the worst songs Rodgers and Hammerstein ever wrote has been wisely cut down to a few lines that fit the new plot rather well, and "Love, Look Away" is no longer an overblown operatic aria but a bittersweet, simple tune that suits Ms. Salonga's clear and beautiful voice wonderfully. Even better, Sebesky adds new harmonies to "A Hundred Million Miracles," "Grant Avenue," and various other songs that add a new dimension to each number.

Indeed, a word must be said about David Henry Hwang's much debated new book. Hwang tried his best to get rid of the uptight, traditional patriarchs, the meek and submissive picture brides, and the dated ideas of what constitutes an assimilated minority. Whether or not has has been successful in eliminating stereotypes, or if he is merely perpetuating new ones will be shown as time goes by. The unfortunate aspect of Hwang's approach is that the show loses much of its original charm; the quaint, unpretentious show that Rodgers and Hammerstein created is now overtly political and message-laden. Still, for the most part, one can't complain. The finale, with each cast member stating where he or she was born ("...the day I was born... in Manila, Phillipines.... in Taipei, Taiwan... in Phoenix, Texas... In New York City...") is powerful and important. The audience sees that this cast of Asian-Americans, and all Asians, come from everywhere in the world; Asians are not just relegated to the Chinatowns and J-Towns in the larger cities of the United States.

The cast is amazing. The supposed shortage of Asian actors and actresses that plagued the original production is obviously no longer an issue; this cast is made up of some of the best and most talented people on Broadway. Period. Lea Salonga and Jose Llana have fantastic voices that not only do justice to the score, they reinvent it. Sandra Allen is great as Linda Low and sings "I Enjoy Being A Girl" as well as Pat Suzuki did in the original cast. Unfortunately, Suzuki's legendary interpretation of "Grant Avenue" is sorely missed; while Jodi Long is a good actress and does well on "Don't Marry Me," she doesn't come close to matching Pat Suzuki in the jazzy and show-stopping "Grant Avenue."

Despite what purists will say, this "Flower Drum Song" is a huge improvement over the original. There are faults to be sure, but for a modern American audience, this "Flower Drum Song" will be enjoyable, emotional, and, all-in-all, the one to watch and hear.

I have had the fortune of seeing this production in New York. I am very pleased to have this CD. The orhestration of the various numbers soars and leaps from the intstruments into one's heart. The ingenius use of authentic ethnic instrumentation with Asian-American principles wrapped in the songs lyrics is such sheer joy to witness. The voice of the characters bring magic to each songs--creating a well-defined character that has driven the plots into very interesting turns. The marriage song was indeed a nice one to listen to. The Broadway production had Lea Salonga and Jose Llana saying they were from China while the rest told where they were really born. In this CD, Lea and Jose changed the lines and replaced it with their actual birthplaces. It gave the music a different dimension for me. Lea's voice is outstanding with her perfect pitch as well as her emotional timbre that would surely pull anyone's heart strings. This is a perfect gift to anyone you hold dear to your heart if only to witness how asian voices bloom into a glorious piece of art.

about Asians led by an Asian cast in a racist theater environment such as Broadway. It's about time!

Had an opportunity to see The Flower Drum Song during it's run in Los Angeles, but unfortunately didn't get to see Lea Salonga in the lead. But this past week, I got a chance to finally see FDS on Broadway with Lea Salonga. The story and some of the songs have been slightly altered during its course to Broadway, in particular Chop Suey. But the music of Rodgers and Hammerstein is undeniably the best that Broadway has to offer. The Broadway show is great, and this cd is a great way to relive the show. The music, the voices of Lea Salonga, Jose LLana, and Sandra Allen are very clear and strong. (Can just picture Sandra Allen singing FAN TAN FANNIE with the rest of the ensemble...awesome choreography). If you haven't had the opportunity to see the Broadway show, this CD is the best alternative! Go buy it as soon as you can!

I am generally skeptical toward revivals, knowing that they rarely measure up to the original's elan. But with this Revival Cast Recording of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, I must admit that I was proven wrong.

Surprisingly, I found that the 2002 Broadway Revival Cast Recording of the Flower Drum Song not only surpasses the verve of the original, but it also evokes a more intelligent nuance that I felt lacking in the original recording.

This recording is rich in musical showmanship: excellent and clear vocals from Lea Salonga and cast; technologically superior sound engineering; and exciting orchestrations and adaptation, seamlessly weaving instrumental styles from the East and West. The result is a beautiful tapestry worthy to be the benchmark for other musical revivals.

Brief descriptions of songs that have become my instant favorites: "A Hundred Million Miracles" takes you into a roller-coaster ride of emotions (especially when experienced live on Broadway); "I Am Going to Like it Here" the "pantoum" Malay musical form that is charming in its simplicity (reminiscent of R&H's "Do-Re-Mi" from the Sound of Music); the sexy tongue-in-cheek "I Enjoy Being a Girl;" the finger-snapping "Grant Avenue;" the hauntingly beautiful "You are Beautiful" (the Broadway staging features a fleeting "apparition" of the Flower Boat Maiden and her lover in the darkened background, dressed in full ancient Chinese regalia, dancing in unison with the two lead characters in the foreground--simply magical!) and "Love Look Away," Ms. Salonga's show-stopper where she finally displays raw emotions with vocal prowess. Amazing!

This version of the Flower Drum Song is definitely worth the price of the album. And if you're in the New York City area, this is a must-see on Broadway. I am impressed--and thankful--to all those who were brave enough to resurrect this once-forgotten classic and turn it into something new for everyone to enjoy! Highly recommended!